Agility in Data Management and Analytics

Our 8D™ Methodology was declared to be in compliance with the Agile Manifesto in 2002 by an Agile Practitioner, Todd McGrath of supergloo, inc. There are three parallel tracks, with the eight dimensions of the project iterating across the Strategic, Tactical and Implementation Tracks throughout the entire life of the data management and analytics (DMA) program. For example, test scenarios are written as part of the strategic track, refined into test plans as part of the tactical track, and the test scripts are written against the scenarios and plans in each implementation sprint. As another example, this methodology is all about data; the data distribution, simpler business process and data models, and most importantly, what questions we wish to ask of the data, and what stories the data can support.

The Strategic Track concentrates on modeling business processes and enterprise data. We use our Analysis by Interview™ to respond to changes in user needs and the business environment. The strategy is not static. As the parallel Implementation track is executed, it iteratively updates the strategy, architecture and models that are done in the Strategic track. Projects are managed and scoped so that each project is designed to be completed in 90-days, with a focused set of deliverables. Project Management Techniques ensure manageability and success of both small projects, and large projects with multiple 90-days implementation phases.

Our major emphasis is on working with the end users, development personnel and operations staff to assure that all parties are involved and informed, and that their needs are heard. Years of experience have evolved into specific techniques for integrating all concerned individuals into a project team, garnering their ideas and concerns, and disseminating project information. These techniques are codified as our Analysis by Interview™ method. The biggest advantage of this methodology is that we are able to analyze, prioritize and synthesize user requirements to ensure that the systems developed provide the greatest value and truly reflects the needs of the organization.

Information, needs and concerns are generally gathered and recorded in blogs. Lightweight artifacts are created and maintained as wiki pages. Meetings are documented and shared through audio and video recordings, as well as notes in the wiki.

The Tactical Track focuses on solving a specific business need, product package or decision support goal as part of bringing the Strategic Track to fruition.

The Implementation Track consists of sprints that bring specific functions and capabilities into production in support of a Tactical Track objective.

D1- Direct [the DMA program]: The Direct Stage kicks-off the DMA program by laying out the framework for the Strategic, Tactical and Implementation Tracks. During this stage, the project team(s), indirectly involved stakeholders,

D2 - Discover [the problem or need]: The objective of the Discover Stage is to produce, with user involvement, a set of business models, a set of recommendations and an agreed upon plan for the development process, which will serve the organization’s current and future needs. It takes into account the organizational, financial and technical constraints. It will also provide a stable framework that can be used to focus the work of several tactical phases, as they each progress through the stages of analysis, design, development, user documentation, transition and production.

D3 - Determine [the solution]: The Determine Stage performs detailed analysis for the specific areas of the organization recommended in the Discover Stage. It verifies all the findings from the discover stage and expand these into sufficient detail to ensure accuracy of business functions. It also ensures the solid foundation for design that bears in mind business processes of the organization and its existing systems.
This stage of the project consists of the following activities:

Determine the architectural strategy

Map business requirements to standard process flows and application functions

Conduct cooperative application planning sessions

Define backup, business continuity and security strategies

Determine required training for users and support personnel

Finalize project plan and functional requirements

D4 - Design [the specifications]: The Design Stage has a very straightforward and clear-cut objective: to have a detailed framework of standards and specifications, reflecting and iterating the strategic and tactical set, in place to assure successful construction and development of the sprint deliverables. There are parallel streams of activities during this stage, including:

Formal and final determination of the business functionality that will be delivered

Some deliverables of this stage include: data models, detailed project plan for the Development Phase, Updated Risk Assessment, Design Document and Specifications and Design Review Report.

D5 - Develop [the modules]: The Develop Stage will code and test software. This stage involves planning, design of program structure, coding, bottom-up testing (Unit and Link Tests), top-down testing (System Test) and a disciplined approach to doing the work and controlling the versions of the scripts, programs, test packs, and user interface.
Some key success factors during this stage include:

Ensuring quality work in tight time schedules

Identification of early indications of performance, e.g. network, input/output or CPU bottlenecks

Continuous tuning of the programs and the database

Versioning/Release Control, Configuration Management, Change Control

Software Quality Assurance

Testing Limits and Exceptions

A test plan will be created to provide procedures and standards for the project testing activities. The test plan will include test cases, test schedules and test results guidelines.
Testing will include unit, integration and system tests as well as user acceptance testing. Test results are documented and feed back on system quality (technical and functional) and performance are used to improve the system.

D6 - Deploy [the system]: The Deploy Stage performs all the tasks necessary for implementation and provides an initial period of support for the system. The deploy stage is accomplished without disrupting the organization, and leaves the users confident and open to exploit the developed system. During this stage formal training for both business and technical staff is provided to supplement the on-going technology transfer of the previous stages. The user community is assisted in performing an acceptance test. Some activities and key deliverables are:

Training and documentation

Converted data

Implemented application(s)

Post-Implementation review report

Train business users and technical support personnel

Perform system cut-over

Provide any necessary problem resolution

One important consideration that applies to every project is the maintenance and evolution of the final product. This process is dedicated to knowledge transfer to our customer personnel as well as within our team.

D7 - Decide [the next steps]: The Decide Stage consist of assessing the delivered implementation, conducting “lessons learned” sessions with all participants and providing recommendations on the next steps and future iteration and enhancements. It must be noted that a data warehouse, as in any system, evolves with the organization. Its functionality must continuously reflect the needs of the user community. The 8D™ Methodology is applied to each tactical and implementation step performed in the project. The results of the Decide Stage iteratively feed the lessons learned in the implementation to the Strategic Track. Thus the project strategy is gradually updated to assure that lessons learned and changing user expectations are met by the project.

D8 - Document [through living, lightweight, online processes]: The Document Stage proceeds throughout the program, using blogs, wiki, audio and video recordings, and other methods to assure that the "as desired", "as planned" and "as built" implementations are recorded and reconciled throughout the life of each tactical project and the overall strategic program.

The 8D™ Methodology successfully addresses the complex nature of the system life cycle through tight interaction between the strategic, tactical and implementation tracks of the program, projects and sprints. Project Management, documentation, user involvement, testing and technology transfer are the components that make it effective.

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We take a system and ecosystem approach to data management and analytics, with a focus on developing Sensor Analytics Ecosystems for the Internet of Things. As Independent Researchers we work with data management and analytics vendors to understand the aspects of IoT data and metadata such as time-series, location, sensor specifications & degradation; we work with IoT vendors to understand their data management and sensor analytics needs; we work with both for adaption to Sensor-Actuator Feedback Loops interacting through the Fog, Edge, Intermediate Aggregation Points, Cloud and Core, with augmenting decisions at every point, and making autonomous decisions as IoT mature through the 5Cs: Connection, Communication, Collaboration, Contextualization and Cognition. We work with Academics, Technology-for-Good, Government and Business Organizations to understand advances in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arti and Mathematics. We filter this information through a framework of Cultural, Regulatory, Economic, Political and Environmental factors to imagine future scenarios that allow our customers to gauge adoption without the hype. We work individually and with partners to develop strategies, define system and enterprise architectures, manage programs and projects, and achieve success with IoT.
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Our current thinking on sensor analytics ecosystems (SAE) bringing together critical solution spaces best addressed by Internet of Things (IoT) and advances in Data Management and Analytics (DMA) is here.